Filing a FAFSA or California Dream Act Application
A variety of aid is available for all income levels. Whether or not you think you are eligible, we encourage you to apply for financial aid each year. The annual priority filing deadline for State and University grant consideration is March 2. Applying begins with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA), and both applications are free.
The information provided on the FAFSA or CADAA is used to calculate your Student Aid Index (SAI). The SAI is used by UC Davis to determine your eligibility for financial aid.
The following tools are available to assist you in estimating your financial aid eligibility:
- To explore how much federal aid you may be eligible for, try the Federal Student Aid Estimator.
- To estimate financial aid for those considering UC Davis, the UC Davis Financial Aid Estimator can be used.
Application Tips
- File the FAFSA or CADAA each year by March 2 for priority consideration.
- Upon successful completion of your financial aid application, you may receive a confirmation notice that your application has been properly submitted.
- Include UC Davis School Code 001313 and a housing code on your application.
- Accuracy is important when you apply for financial aid. All information is subject to verification according to state and federal regulations. False statements or misrepresentations may be cause for the reduction, cancellation, denial, or repayment of financial aid.
- It is crucial to file the FAFSA by the priority filing date.
- If you filed a 2022 tax return, use information from your return to complete the 2024-25 application.
- If you did not and are not required to file a 2022 tax return, use your financial information such as 2022 W-2s or final pay stubs, and current bank statements.
- Each contributor (parents, guardians, spouse) will be required to have their own Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID and need to consent to their information being included on the student's FAFSA.
- All contributors on a student's FAFSA application must consent to IRS Direct Data Exchange (DDX) allowing their data to be transferred directly to the FAFSA.
- For general information on financial aid at the University of California, view the Paying for UC video on YouTube.
Important Things to Remember
- Apply early! Submit your application by the March 2 priority deadline each year for full aid consideration.
- You can submit your FAFSA or CADAA annually starting in October each year. The 2025-25 FAFSA will open December 1, 2024.
- "Prior-Prior Year" allows students and their families to use income and tax information from one year earlier than previously required. This means that 2022 data will be used in 2024-25.
- Include the UC Davis School Code: 001313.
- Immediately respond to any requests from UC Davis Financial Aid and Scholarships.
- Select the correct aid year on the FAFSA or CADAA when applying (i.e., 2024-25 for fall 2024 admission).
- Keep copies of your tax returns and other documents in case they are needed.
- Reapply every year.
Common FAFSA & CADAA Mistakes
If the name, date of birth, and/or social security number you reported on the FAFSA or CADAA does not match the school record you will need to resolve the discrepancy before we can review your application and financial aid eligibility.
Action Required:
Compare the information you entered on the UC Application and FAFSA or CADAA to your social security number. Make sure they are an exact match.
- If your name, date of birth, and/or social security number are incorrect:
- You’ll need to complete a new FAFSA or a CADAA Name/Date of Birth Change Request.
- You'll also need to submit a correction with Admissions.
- If your name, date of birth, and/or social security number are correct:
- Contact the Social Security Administration to ensure that the discrepancy is resolved.
Questions About Applying?
- Federal Student Aid Information Center (for FAFSA)
- 1-800-4-FED-AID (433-3243)
- https://studentaid.gov/
- https://studentaid.gov/help-center/contact
- California Student Aid Commission (for CADAA)
- 1-888-224-7268
- dream.csac.ca.gov
- UC Davis Resources
What to Expect After Filing
- Once completed you may receive an email confirmation, that you have successfully submitted your financial aid application.
- If you filed a FAFSA, you will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary from the federal processor.
- To check the status of your application, visit Federal Student Aid.
- If you do not receive an email confirmation, you may not have successfully completed the application.
- If you filed a CADAA, you will need to log in to the California Student Aid Commission to view your Student Aid Report (SAR) or to check the status of your application.
- The FAFSA Submission Summary provides your Student Aid Index (SAI). Financial Aid and Scholarships will use the SAI to determine the types of aid you are eligible to receive.
- Submit corrections to your application online through Federal Student Aid or California Student Aid Commission.
- Students with a valid FAFSA Submission Summary should log in to MyAwards to view their aid package and requirements for the upcoming year during the following months. Information will be available in MyAwards as follows:
- School of Education:
- Teaching Credential - April
- Masters of Education - August
- CANDEL - August
- All Other Education Programs - June
- School of Veterinary Medicine:
- Years 1 and 4 - April
- Years 2 and 3 - July
- MPVM - July
- Graduate School of Management: August
- Graduate Studies: Late July
- Other Graduate Programs: August
- School of Education: